 Baby LeRoy |
Born: May 12th, 1932 in Los Angeles, California Remarks: LeRoy made his screen debut at 6 months, the youngest actor ever to get star billing and for a time, the only child actor at Paramount. His grandfather had to sign his contract because his mother was only 16. He got drunk at age 3 when W.C. Fields spiked his orange juice with gin and, in one of their films together, Fields manhandled him so hard that the studio cut the scene to avoid displeasure from his fans. After age 5, he disappeared from films for 3 years and was making a comeback when he took ill after doing a scene on location in Georgia. Attempting to swing across a lake, he fell into the water several times and caught cold. When he couldn’t speak above a whisper, the role went to child actor Billy Lee and LeRoy’s short career was over. Films (9) included “A Bedtime Story” (1933), “Tillie and Gus” (1933), “Miss Favre’s Baby is Stolen” (1934), and “It’s A Great Life” (1935). |
 Baby Sandy |
Born: January 14 th, 1938 in Los Angeles,
California Films (8) include “Unexpected Fathers” (1939), “Sandy Was a Lady” (1940), “Bachelor Daddy” (1941) and “Johnny Doughboy” (1942). |
 Philippe De Lacy |
Born: July 25 th, 1917 in Nancy, France Remarks: He was 16 months old when he was found huddled in a shell hole by a Red Cross nurse, Edith De Lacy. His mother and five siblings had been killed by a German bomb. Edith adopted him and brought him to the U.S. after peace had been declared. A friend invited her to visit the Hollywood set of “The Riddle-Woman” (1921) and both the film’s director and star (Geraldine Farrar) were struck by his face (Philippe would later be called the Freddie Bartholomew of the silent screen). His career lasted from silent films into early talkies and extended to Broadway before he literally disappeared from view. At 19, he went behind the scenes into film production and was a producer-director with the Cinerama Corporation for many years. He then joined an advertising agency. Films (38) include “A Doll’s House” (1922), “A lover’s Oath” (1925), “Faithful Wives” (1926), “The Broken Mask” (1928) and “The Four Feathers” (1929). |
 Peggy Ann Garner |
Born: February 3 rd, 1932 in Canton, Ohio Remarks: Raised by the stereotypical stage mother,
Peggy was propelled into show business at the age of 4 when her
parents separated and her mother took her to New York. Two years
later it was off to Hollywood and a contract with 20 th Century
Fox. Peggy missed out on the title role in “National Velvet” that
went to Elizabeth Taylor (her castmate in “Jane Eyre”)
but won stardom as Francie in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”.
She won a miniature Oscar as Outstanding Child Actress of 1945
and took it to bed with her that night. When her career in feature
films waned, she went on the stage and worked in television. Later
she became a sales manager for a car dealer in Santa Monica. Sadly,
both Peggy and her daughter Cass died at an early age Films (22) also included “In Name Only” (1939), “Nob Hill” (1945), “Daisy Kenyon” (1947), “The Lovable Cheat” (1949) and “A Wedding” (1978). |
 Freddie Bartholomew |
Born: March 28 th, 1924 in Dublin, Ireland Remarks: In the 1930’s he was one of the highest paid child stars second only to Shirley Temple. But like many of his peers, he saw most of his fortune fall to costly court cases. Raised by his grandparents and an aunt in England (he took her surname), his parents wanted him back as soon as he became famous. It became a headline court case in 1937. Aunt Sissy beat that one but lost to MGM when she sued to get him a raise in salary. Freddie was always remembered as the sissified Cedric in “Little Lord Fauntleroy” (1936). His career ended in 1947 at the age of 23 and he went into television advertising. He eventually became an executive in that field. Films (24) include “David Copperfield” (1935), “Captains Courageous” (1937), “Kidnapped” (1938) , and “A Yank at Eton” (1942). |
 Gloria Jean |
Born: April 14 th, 1926 in Buffalo, New York Remarks: One of 3 children, Gloria’s talents were evident at an early age. At 3, she was singing on the radio and in vaudeville around Scranton. PA. where the family now lived. When she was 13, Joseph Pasternak gave her an audition and she was signed to a contract with Universal Pictures as a back-up for their top singing star, Deanna Durbin. Gloria became quite popular among the bobby-soxer set. But a series of mediocre movies and lost chances (through no fault of her own) ended her career in the early 1960s. Gloria worked for a cosmetic company until her retirement and is now considering writing her autobiography. She lives in Oxnard, California. Films (25) include “Never Give a Sucker and Even Break” (1941), “What’s Cookin”?” (1942), “It Comes Up Love” (1943), “Pardon My Rhythm” (1944), and “Easy To Look At” (1945). |
 Jackie “Butch” Jenkins |
Born: August 29 th, 1937 in Los Angeles, California Remarks: His father was a captain in the US Ferry Command and his mother was actress Doris Dudley. As a child, Jackie was regarded as a “holy terror” and once started a fire at home. But his mother decided to find other outlets for his over-exuberance. A Metro scout got him a screen test with director Clarence Brown and he won a role in “The Human Comedy” (1943) with Mickey Rooney and James Craig. He also gave a delightful performance as the little brother in “National Velvet”. But by age 11 the pressure of making movies began to be too much for Jackie and he developed a stutter. His mother took him and his brother away from Hollywood to live in Dallas, Texas. The stutter stayed with him the rest of his life. Films (11) include “An American Romance” (1944), “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes” (1945), “ Boys’ Ranch” (1946) and “My Brother Talks to Horses” (1947) |
 Virginia Weidler |
Born: March 21 st, 1926 in Eagle Rock, California Remarks: Ginny made her mark as wise-cracking, sassy tomboys who usually had the last snappy word in any confrontation. She lost her first role because she refused to take off her clothes onscreen…she was just 3 years old! It was the 1930 version of “Moby Dick”. After working at both RKO and Paramount, her career gained momentum at MGM in several Mickey Rooney films. Two memorable performances were as Tannie Edison in “Young Tom Edison” (1940) with Mickey and as Dinah Lord, Katharine Hepburn’s sister in “The Philadelphia Story” (1940). But in the early 1940s , Virginia was bumped By Shirley Temple who had just signed with MGM.. She picked herself up and went into vaudeville and then on the stage. In 1947 she married a naval officer and retired from acting. A chronic heart ailment ended her life at just 42. Films (41) include “Freckles” (1935), “ Maid of Salem” (1937), “Mother Carey’s Chickens” (1938), “The Women” (1939), “All This and Heaven Too” (1940), and “Best Foot Forward” (1943). |
 Bobs Watson |
Born: November 16 th, 1930 in Los Angeles,
California Remarks: Child stars often came in clans! Bobs Watson was one of 9 children, most of them working in films. He got the nickname “Bobs” to avoid being confused with another actor, a comic named Bob Watson. He also got the label “ Hollywood’s Cry Baby” because he could cry buckets of tears on cue. While he appeared in movies before he could walk, Bobs is most remembered for his role as Pee Wee in “ Boys Town” (1938). He became close friends with Spencer Tracy, who he called Uncle Spence, and was one of Tracy’s last visitors before he died. Bobs career in film was really over before the end of the 1940s and, although he made 4 more pictures, the roles were small. At age 32, he went to the Claremont School of Theology and became Reverend Bobs Watson. Films (31) include “Show Boat” (1936), “In Old Chicago” (1937), “Young Dr. Kildare” (1938), “ Dodge City” (1939), “Men of Boys Town” (1941) and “Grand Theft Auto” (1977). |
 Bonita Granville |
Born: February 2 nd, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois Remarks: Her father was an actor and her mother was a dancer so Bonita was surrounded by talent. She began early as a part of her parents’ vaudeville act. When her father went to Hollywood to do a series of two-reelers at Warner Bros., Bonita was cast as Ann Harding’s daughter in “Westward Passage”(1932) at RKO. She won an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in “ These Three” in 1936 when she was only 13. She also played Nancy Drew in the Warner Bros. series about a teenage sleuth. She often played good girls but she was better when she was bad! Bonita married Texas multi-millionaire jack Wrather in 1947 and went on to act, direct and produce television features including the popular “Lassie” series. Films (57) include “Cavalcade” (1933), “Ah, Wilderness” (1935), “Maid of Salem” (1937), “The Beloved Brat” (1938), “Now, Voyager” (1942), “Hitler’s Children” (1943) and “Suspense” (1946). |
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Born: September 17 th, 1928 in
Herne Hill, London, England Remarks: Roddy was luckier than most child actors because his career in films was never short-changed by growing up. His mother fulfilled her own acting ambitions by getting Roddy drama training at age 5. He was 10 when he made his first film. Roddy, his mother and sister fled to America at the beginning of WWII where his first role made him a star…..John Ford’s “How Green Was My Valley” (1941). His adult role most remembered has to be that of simian Cornelius in “Planet of the Apes” when he was totally unrecognizable under the makeup. He was also a photographer, author and had a vast collection of movie memorabilia and classic films. In 1974 the FBI made him give up some of his collection that they found to be bootlegged but no charges were made. Films (112) include “Yellow Sands” (1938), “His Brother’s Keeper” (1940), “Son of Fury” (1942), “Lassie Come Home” (1943), “Keys of the Kingdom” (1944), “Cleopatra” (1963) and “Funny Lady” (1975). |
